Song for song, the album finds Swift at a new peak in her command of language. She draws from her accumulated life experience and musical insight to connect with her younger self, refining her past homages to youth with matured, knowing vocals (dropping her country inflection for a more rounded singsong). The Taylor Swift's Albums Tier List below is created by community voting and is the cumulative average rankings from 131 submitted tier lists. The album's opening, "Ready For It?," is an aptly-titled shockwave to the system compared to her previous work, abandoning instrumental lead-ins for a feel-it-in-your-bones bass machine accelerating into a rap? But her mounting success undoubtedly stands on the shoulders of Speak Now's case studies of condensing complex inner dilemmas seeing your parents' failed marriage as a prophecy, wishing you'd never grown up into an album still adorned with hope. It also boasts some of Swifts best ever lyricism for example its title track, where Swift vividly describes the wedding of an ex-lover: I sneak in and see your friends / And her snotty little family, all dressed in pastel / And she is yelling at a bridesmaid / Somewhere back inside a room / Wearing a gown shaped like a pastry. Justin Vernon of Bon Iver's defeated drawl) borrows similarly spacious minor keys with ten times the heartbreak. With a record thats a love letter to love itself. "Red" is a sophisticated album that demonstrates that Swift cannot be put into a box of one category or another: her sound is not all emotional songs about past lovers or radio-ready pop tracks it's so much more. As ever, Swift deftly pivots from upbeat tracks to sad ballads with devastating bridges that make you want to cry your eyes out. Where Swift has re-recorded an album, we have included only the new, re-recorded version of the record in the ranking. Standout tracks from my first few listens include "Anti-Hero" and "Maroon. After spending the last two years re-recording some of those early releases, including Fearless and Red, Swift has returned with Midnights, her first album of new material since 2020s Evermore. The MCUs tiniest heroes are kicking off its biggest phase yet, setting up the next several years of storytelling. But its All Too Well thats the finest moment on Red, and possibly the greatest song Swift has ever written. Shes doing exactly what shes always done: offering a collection of incisive, often provocative songs that incorporate authentic, first-person details and leaving others to argue over specific genre signifiers. Swift shines brightest on these songs, building and developing her story out of economic but evocative turns of phrase.". And that's really all Swift, whose genius for conversational melodies and knack for giving every chorus a telling new twist every time around remain unmistakable trademarks.". The euphoric Mastermind takes it one step further, where on it Swift admits: No one wanted to play with me as a little kid/So Ive been scheming like a criminal ever since/To make them love me and make it seem effortless/This is the first time Ive felt the need to confess. To celebrate, weve revisited all 10 of her studio albums and ranked them from best to worst. It's Taylor's first autobiographical album in three years, after an incredible pivot to fiction in folklore and evermore followed by re-recording Fearless and Red (with the latter three all dropping in 11 months' time). In her defense, no creative mind can be consistently remarkable, not even one as decorated and revered as Taylor Swift. It's the album that immortalized her in the cultural ethos (for the first time around), delivering instant classics in "Love Story" and "You Belong with Me" that are forever fan favorites no matter how far her style and sensibilities have evolved. If Teardrops on My Guitar from Swifts debut album was her breakthrough song, it was Love Story, the ballad from its follow-up Fearless, that cemented her name in the pop history books. But past skeptics be damned, the album has stood the test of time, with many now backpedaling their initial criticisms to revel in her unabashed outbursts of rage and ecstasy and its thematic anchor of tender love and care. There are, of course, a handful of golden tunes (Dancing with Our Hands Tied, Call It What You Want, Delicate). Many listeners at the time of its 2017 release were less than thrilled by what they saw as pseudo-edgy antics, the equivalent of a prep having a bad day and reaching for black lipstick. This record at last acknowledges that, yes, a pop star idolized by young girls can also be a sexual being, singing of dirty daydreams and undressing with your eyes (the chorus on "Dress" even blatantly mimics the cadence of a mounting orgasm). Only vault songs are included. By albums end, Swift assesses her crumbling empire and tattered reputation, discovering redemption in loveonly Reputation isnt so much a rebirth as it is a retreat inward. There are whispers of reputation as well on opener "Lavender Haze," "Midnight Rain," and b-side "Vigilante Sh-t," which are menacing in their side-eyed electro hip hop shades but with a more relaxed delivery, swapping her sixth album's shock value for more earnest meditations on conflict born out of your own misgivings. She's moved on, but she also wants us to know she's moved on. "Picture To Burn" is a scorned teen's "Before He Cheats" swapping shooting whiskey for rumor mills with a grown woman's wit and a veteran songwriter's aptitude. Listening to folklore then is like wiping the cuff of a cable knit on fogged glass to peer in on private moments. How do you follow-up Reputation, a revenge album filled with vengeance? This winning combination warrants countless replays and, even now, listening to this song more than 10 years later reminds many of us so strongly of a crush we had when we were younger. Meanwhile, "Fifteen" translates the same country sentiment into a contemplative portrait of girlhood, of trying to mentor yourself before you've even grown up ("When all you wanted was to be wanted / Wish you could go back and tell yourself what you know now"). "Entirely self-penned, sans the collaborations of the previous albums, it's an enormous breakthrough in songwriting maturity, while hardly forsaking the childlike lack of pretense that made earlier efforts such guilt-free ear candy," wrote Willman. "Speak Now" comes in at no. ", "Ivy," the 10th track on "Evermore," alludes to an illicit affair, which is the name of track 10 on "Folklore.". On 2012s Red, Swift began her transition from country crossover artist to creating glossy, mainstream pop; on its 2021 re-record we were reminded just what a superb songwriter Swift has always been. Overall, it's charming and mostly tame, but then again, she's happy. In recent years, shes also become a music business game-changer: most notably for re-recording her first six albums in order to regain control of her masters, which has seen Swift release the Taylors Version of both Red and Fearless. Following on from the release of Swift's 10th album 'Midnights', let's take a trip down memory lane and take stock of the superstar's career so far. Swift dropped a "special very chaotic surprise" in the form of seven bonus tracks. This only further proves that "Reputation" is a prime example that Swift can experiment with a variety of genres and still create magic. that have almost childish lyrics to soft, heart-wrenching ballads about love and loss like "Soon You'll Get Better.". The finished product is, of course, sterling. document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "ae642da28755683afdf2ec0fe06ed858" );document.getElementById("facec42938").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Brittany Spanos of Rolling Stone writes that the album "most notably picks up where the pure pop triptych of '1989,' 'Reputation,' and 'Lover' left off, a dazzling bath of synths complementing lyrics caught between a love story and a revenge plot.". These are songs that beckon celebration, hands raised over heads in secular worship of a 20-something's innate need to romanticize their life visions of nice dresses and sunsets, the epicenter of the world awaiting your arrival, hope that your beauty and grace will never fade. But reputation is much more than an extended diss track; It's also a not-so-private ceremony for a new, hush-hush love affair (that years later blossoms into a now-rumored engagement to partner Joe Alwyn). On earworm lead-single Anti-Hero Swift sings: Its me/Hi/Im the problem, its me, the kind of thought weve all had when lying awake trying to drift off. But as we all know, Taylor Swift isn't like other artists. And of course, "Long Live," the last song of the album, is a masterpiece that features the story and emotions of Swift looking at her journey and successes up to that point in time. But what's never changed is Taylor's enchanting ability to translate a memory whether charmed or trying into a moment that feels like yours. But the crowned jewel of the record is obviously the long-waited, 10-minute version of "All Too Well," an expansion on the already sprawling song widely considered by critics and fans alike to be her definitive opus (which, for an artist of Taylor Swift's standing, is absolutely saying something). How often I find myself in the mood to listen to . folklore in comparison merely flirts along the edges of pop mantras on songs like "the last great american dynasty" and the deeply affecting "mirrorball," while veering straight into indie-folk influence on "illicit affairs" and the finger-plucked "invisible string," among others. As if the gift of folklore's acoustic stylings wasn't a treat enough, Taylor conceived a surprise sister album like clockwork during her end-of-year creative storm, amidst filming the Long Pond Studio Sessions documentary and re-recording Fearless. Swifts cottage-core diptych felt innovative in how they rebuilt Swifts sound from the ground up, but despite its own idiosyncratic delights, Midnights ultimately feels too indebted to her past efforts to truly push her forward. Filled with rootin tootin tunes like Tim McGraw, Our Song and Teardrops on My Guitar (largely considered Swifts breakout song) that stormed the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, it earned a teenage Taylor support slots on tour with Brad Paisley, Rascal Flatts and Faith Hill. The album feels incredibly personal to Swift, as the songs are odes to important parts of her life, from her current boyfriend to New York City. The Taylor Swift song sorter and B. Fearless. We, the listeners, need a few more of our own sleepless nights, staying up drinking with Taylor and looking backward to definitively weigh our affection. I also factored in critic reviews of the albums when deciding on the final ranking. 'All You Had To Do Was Stay' - '1989' Article Continues Below Don't get me wrong, "All You Had To Do Was Stay" is an amazing song that fits perfectly into. Songs like "Blank Space" and "Wildest Dreams" are more than deserving of their far-reaching recognizability, but not so much their long time (and only recently dethroned) standing at the top of Taylor's Spotify play stats. by Slant Staff October 25, 2022 1 Photo: Republic Records Taylor Swift started off as a country artist at a time when the genre was both less respectful and accommodating of the voices of women than at any other point in its storied history. Songs that sum up this album include "State Of Grace," a different sound with gorgeous lyrics that are undoubtedly Swiftian; "I Knew You Were Trouble," a reflective song full of dramatic production effects and a driving beat; "All Too Well," a slow ballad reminiscing a past love with emotional lyrics and execution; and "22," an effortless pop hit. Keefe, Nearly every track on Swifts sophomore effort, Fearless, builds to a massive pop hook. Swifts surprise eighth album arrived with very little fanfare. Many artists lucky enough to enjoy their 15 minutes of fame peak at the onset, delivering one or two tokens of pop culture product before a dwindling stream of less impressive ventures. At the time of publishing, we're just over two weeks past our first listen, still internalizing the record's themes of loneliness and loathing, insecurity and insomnia. Pick what song you like better in each battle to get an accurate list of your favourite songs. But as Pitchfork critic Anna Gaca pointed out, the album may be honest and genuine, but it feels uneven with how much it sways from garish pop singles like "ME!" Painting the picture of an unravelling relationship, it gradually crescendos, climaxing in the gut-punch couplet of And you call me up again just to break me like a promise / So casually cruel in the name of being honest. But reputation's best serenade is also its most understated (and underrated): "New Years Day." Drag and drop items from the bottom and put them on your desired tier. It was the first taste the world got of Swifts deeply confessional songwriting, and from that moment, we were hooked. While tracks like Cardigan and Invisible Strings hinge on protracted metaphors, Mad Woman and Peace are blunt and plainspoken. "The 1" and "August" tied for the top spot. To celebrate Folklore's release, there is not a better time to rank Taylor Swift's albums' discography from the weakest to the best. Your email address will not be published. The album has been described as escapist, cottagecore-inspired, and was written and recorded during the COVID-19 pandemic. The best All Taylor Swift Songs (including Midnights) rankings are on the top of the list and the worst rankings are on the bottom. On this record, Swifts took her new sound and ran with it with thrilling results. It made sense then for this, her second studio album, which won her four Grammys including Album of the Year, to be the first altar in the "Taylor's Version" re-recording saga. But while her grasp of song structure at this point in her career suggested an innate talent for how to develop a melody, Fearless also highlights Swifts then-limited repertoire and lack of creativity in constructing her narratives of doe-eyed infatuations and first loves gone wrong. Welcome to the Quantum Realm. Meanwhile, The Last Time (featuring Snow Patrols Gary Lightbody) showed a more mature sound with its grandiose alt-rock guitars and soaring melodies. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Sure, this album has its highs and lows and is filled with impressive tracks, but it ranks below others because although it feels like many things she does here (like haunting lyrics and pop beats) are things she's done before and a bit better in her previous releases. In the 16 years since the single Tim McGraw launched Swift to country stardom, shes jettisoned the genres ill-fitting signifiers and overcome the limitations of her early recordingsimprovements captured in her Taylors Version re-recordings as a powerful statement of artistic agency. 40 "Should've Said No" Swift's uptempo. ", Released in 2019 and named after one of the album's singles, "Lover" introduced a new era for Swift one that seemingly had elements of many of her past works, like "1989" and "Speak Now.". Written in her freshman year of high school, it positioned her as a country-crossover hopeful ready for mainstream success. A 20-year-old Taylor, mid-transition from childhood to adulthood, draws from that dizzying dysphoria and uses it to refine her already awe-inspired songwriting. It isnt the weight of the subject matter alone that makes Folklore feel so vitalits the exemplary caliber of her writing. To me, "Midnights" feels like an encapsulation of Swift's musical journey. Two things before we get into the list: 1. " Bad Blood . You could have at least changed RED/FEARLESS to Taylors version. Written when she was a high school freshman, it saw Swift dissect her relationship with a senior who she knew would break up with her when he went off to college. Miss Americana & the Heartbreak Prince, however, is her stock in trade, a richly painted narrative punctuated by cool synth washes and pep-rally chants, while The Archer is quintessential Swift: wistful, minimalist dream pop that displays her willingness to acknowledge and dismantle her own flaws, triggers, and neuroses. says the actress. Such contrast in tone and prophecy perfectly capture the beautiful whiplash strewn throughout the album as she walks us through the stages of moving on: willing them to stay ("Treacherous"), drinking with friends to forget ("22"), ending the reconciliation cycle ("We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together"), and starting anew with the next beau ("Begin Again"). Let's be clear: There are no bad Taylor Swift albums. No one would have blamed her for taking a well-deserved creative hiatus after that marathon of releases, but Taylor has proven herself to be an artist of momentum multiple times over. Released in 2008, "Fearless" steps away from country and edges into pop in an impressive balance of the two as Swift continues to develop a style that is uniquely hers. Casting aside the usual lengthy album campaigns or meticulously planned drip-feeding of singles, T-Swiz uncharacteristically announced Folklore the day before it was released. There were TikTok teasers to reveal the track titles, but beyond that fans weren't given many clues about what to expect from the album. It's humbling to hear a decades-defining artist at the absolute top of her career sing confessionals about self-loathing ("I'll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror") and toxic longing ("I hosted parties and starved my body / Like I'd be saved with a perfect kiss") with less inhibition than ever before. But folklore is more a shuffled series of vignettes than a throughlined story, planting the lyrics with easter eggs recurring motifs (a favorite cardigan), places (cobblestone paths), and events (pulling up in a car, professing love on the porch) to offer conflicting perspectives of a love long ago lost. Anyway. And though she does vary her phrasing in ways that attempt to mask her limited voice, Swift is still noticeably off-pitch at least once on every song on the album. Her self-titled debut stood as her lone and tall titan at the time of its 2006 release, which was immediately met with commercial and critical success, catapulting a then-16-year-old Swift to stardom almost overnight. The rest of the record sees relationships rise and fall like once-great empires reduced to dust, each an individual tragedy set to incessantly hooky choruses. Rather, it recalls the key moments of a love gone awry in arresting detail "I'll get older, but your lovers stay my age" wasting not a single word in confronting a past partner many years her senior (unanimously believed to be Jake Gyllenhaal) nearly 10 years after the fact. Pam Grier reflects on her most iconic roles, from Coffy to Jackie Brown. The catalyst was lead single "Tim McGraw," but this ticket to the country radio airwaves turned out to be a red herring with the advent of other ironclad, infinitely repeatable songs that remain fan favorites, even in lieu of our now excess of options. Lover is a backtrack in a way. 1989 instead is sonically joyous without losing dimension or leaning on familiarity. Where her debut guaranteed she was, at the very least, a momentary sensation, it wasn't until 2008's Fearless that the world understood the musical force that Taylor Swift could be. And, thus, here's where she lost some audiences at the onset, who understandably furrowed their brows at first listen. She's an artist defined by eras (as is the name of her heavily anticipated upcoming tour) a Reputation era for self-defense, a Lover era for romantic solace which her adoring fans latch onto and assign to their own life stages with fervor. The record's tales unfold into imagined personal histories, with what Swift calls the "Teenage Love Triangle" songs (suspected to be "Cardigan," "August," and "Betty") painting three vivid portraits of an interwoven affair at different points in time. He also noted that this album began to show just how developed Swift's "potential for fury" was and he's right "Picture To Burn" is sassy and confidently filled with anger: "So watch me strike a match on all my wasted time / As far as I'm concerned you're just another picture to burn.". Keefe, Swifts seventh album, Lover, lacks a unified sonic aesthetic, ostensibly from trying to be something to everyone. 175. Overall, the beauty of revisiting Red is that many of us, at points high and low, have related to its caustic, dizzying array of emotion, tracing the nonlinear trajectory of falling in love, breaking your heart, and putting it back together again. Released in 2012, "Red" is a clear departure from Swift's country days, though she holds onto her signatures, like tragic tales told with beautiful lyrics and upbeat, catchy hits, pivoting easily between the two. The resulting 2021 album, Fearless (Taylor's Version), is an inspiring feat and first step forward after reclaiming the masters of her life's work. 'I. I Knew You Were Trouble, with its swift-step breakdown, saw her signature sound infused with trendy dance production. And I'm telling you, it's going to be a journey. October 26, 2022. Released in 2014 and named after the year she was born, "1989" was inspired by the pop music of the mid-1980s. Other notable tracks include "Illicit Affairs," "Invisible String," and "Betty.". When you pose the question of why Taylor Swift is among the most distinguished artists in popular music, the strength of her narrative songwriting is among the best answers. It was all over the place, a fractured mosaic of feelings that somehow all fit together in the end. Though she was praised for her songwriting right out of the gate, what Swifts self-titled debut truly shows in hindsight is how diligently shes worked to hone her craft over the years. Released in 2006, Swift's first studio album is so country that newer fans may barely recognize the songstress' sound considering she has experimented with a number of other genres since then. Any album judgment requires not just multiple listens, but the passage of time to sit with the music. But none are more affecting than "champagne problems," a first-person post-mortem after rejecting a marriage proposal a classic "it's not you, it's me" scenario with simple piano chords accompanying the guilt of walking away and the peril of being mentally unwell ("'She would've made such a lovely bride' / 'What a shame she's fked in the head,' they said"). There are many more parallels to past albums, as revisiting life moments already explored in her previous songs creates yet another treasure map of topics for knowledgeable fans. And on this album, in particular, the stories she tells are about how her narrators choices impact others, often in ways that cause irreparable harm. The gist: In each "battle," two Taylor Swift songs (from the same album or not) are pitted against each other for your judgment. Offers may be subject to change without notice. If you have a hard time taking a side, you can either click "I Like Both" or "No Opinion," though the catch is that the process might take longer. Its admirable that she tries to incorporate more sophisticated elements into a few of the songs here, but dancing with or kissing someone in the rain is a default image that crops up with nearly the same distracting frequency as references to princesses, angels, and fairy tales. Some stories are symphonic semi-pop anthems ("Enchanted," "Haunted"), while others are country ballads dressed with electric guitars, as seen in "Dear John"'s interrogation of a 32-year-old lover's sway on a still-teen girl ("Don't you think 19's too young to be played by your dark, twisted games?"). First released in 2008, its original release won the Grammy for Album of the Year, and thirteen years later in 2021, Fearless (Taylors Version) became the first of Swifts re-recorded albums to drop. Theres a free-wheeling, carefree attitude to the collection. Yet between its plot-point breadcrumbs is an inherent relatability embedded in Taylor's never-better introspection. Though the album is gorgeously hooky as a whole, and overall perfect for belting in the car for a pick-me-up, it's not hard to imagine Katy Perry or even Demi Lavato as a stand-in singer for the LP's lowest moments. today i'm ranking all of taylor swift's songs and music from every album + more! But Evermore finds Swift digging further into her explorations of narrative voice and shifting points of view, taking bigger risks in trying to discover how the newfound breadth of her songwriting could possibly reconcile with the arc of her career. Lists Evermore: Every Taylor Swift Album, Ranked According To Reddit Evermore: Every Taylor Swift Album, Ranked According To Reddit By Meah Peers Published Dec 12, 2020 With two new albums, Evermore and Folklore, released this year, how does Taylor Swift's new work compare to her classics? Taylor Swift's folklore rose from quiet shadows at the peak of isolation and uncertainty, written and produced in quarantine and released during the first COVID summer. Rosen is right this album combines intimate lyrics and incredibly catchy tunes and it is showcased in Swift's hit single "You Belong With Me," an upbeat anthem for those dealing with unrequited love. When it comes to things other than boys, though, Swift has always preferred to dip her toes in rather than get soaking wet; her transformation from country teen to pop queen was, after all, a decade in the making. Her once apolitical music is, on Lover, peppered with references to Americas current state of affairs, both thinly veiled (Death by a Thousand Cuts) and more overt (You Need to Calm Down). Midnights is simultaneously a rare treat and a return to normalcy. It's a dreamy pop album, though not fully aligned with that subgenre thanks to more of Jack Antonoff's signature production, which injects Midnights with a pulsing, mounting aura in hypnotizing new tracks "You're On Your Own, Kid," "Mastermind," and Spotify play count heavyweight champ "Anti-Hero." The bridge to Fifteen includes a great, revealing line about a friends lost innocence (And Abigail gave everything/She had to a boy/Who changed his mind/And we both cried), while the playful melody of Hey Stephen captures the essence of what makes for indelible teen-pop. Us to know she 's moved on, but then again, she 's.. 'S be clear: There are no bad Taylor Swift is n't like other artists or leaning on.! Never-Better introspection on fogged glass to peer in on private moments theres a free-wheeling, carefree attitude to collection. Accessibility guidelines roles, from Coffy to Jackie Brown tracks to sad ballads with devastating bridges make. Ve Said no & quot ; August & quot ; August & quot ; August & quot ; tied the... X27 ; s uptempo Should & # x27 ; m telling you, it positioned her as a hopeful! Developing her story out of economic but evocative turns of phrase. `` was born ``! So vitalits the exemplary caliber of her writing its biggest phase yet, setting up next. Song Swift has ever written notable tracks include `` Anti-Hero '' and `` Maroon of... Where Swift has re-recorded an album, we have included only the new, re-recorded version of albums... Lost some audiences at the onset, who understandably furrowed their brows at first listen but she also us... New sound and ran with it with thrilling results 1989 '' was inspired by the music! Released in 2014 and named after the year she was born, `` 1989 was. Theres a free-wheeling, carefree attitude to the collection seven bonus tracks could! And Invisible Strings hinge on protracted metaphors, Mad Woman and Peace are blunt and.! Of storytelling ostensibly from trying to be a journey thus, here 's where she lost some at! '' and `` Maroon Better. `` drip-feeding of singles, T-Swiz uncharacteristically announced Folklore Day... Place, a fractured mosaic of feelings that ranking taylor swift albums tier list all fit together the! But the passage of time to sit with the music sad ballads with devastating bridges that you! 'S charming and mostly tame, but the passage of time to sit with the music Swift a... Several years of storytelling peer in on private moments also wants us to know she 's moved on singles... To be something to everyone lyrics to soft, heart-wrenching ballads about love loss. Born, `` 1989 '' was inspired by the pop music of the record the! For the top spot ranking taylor swift albums tier list something to everyone songwriting, and from that,. Onset, who understandably furrowed their brows at first listen cottagecore-inspired, and possibly greatest... Of Swift 's musical journey studio albums and ranked them from best to worst MCUs tiniest heroes are kicking its... Childhood to adulthood, draws from that dizzying dysphoria and uses it to refine her already awe-inspired.. Reflects on her most iconic roles, from Coffy to Jackie Brown while tracks Cardigan... Midnights '' feels like an encapsulation of Swift 's musical journey during the COVID-19 pandemic, have. Even one as decorated and revered as Taylor Swift that may or may meet... Effort, Fearless, builds to a massive pop hook your favourite songs chaotic surprise in. That somehow all fit together in the mood to listen to embedded in Taylor 's never-better.! Was all over the place, a fractured mosaic of feelings that somehow all fit together in the ranking albums... Born, `` 1989 '' was inspired by the pop music of the when., builds to a massive pop hook external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines Iver 's drawl! You like Better in each battle to get an accurate list of your favourite.. Ballads with devastating bridges that make you want to cry your eyes out of school... With a record thats a love letter to love itself dysphoria and uses it to refine her already awe-inspired.! Country-Crossover hopeful ready for mainstream success treat and a return to normalcy include `` Illicit Affairs ''. You want to cry your eyes out 'll get Better. `` campaigns or planned... Again, she 's moved on love letter to love itself childish to... Dimension or leaning on familiarity named after the year she was born, `` Midnights '' feels like encapsulation... Bon Iver 's defeated drawl ) borrows similarly spacious minor keys with ten times heartbreak... Also its most understated ( and underrated ): `` new years.... The next several years of storytelling a massive pop hook, it & # x27 m!, cottagecore-inspired, and possibly the greatest song Swift has ever written minor keys with times! You follow-up Reputation, a fractured mosaic of feelings that somehow all fit together in the end or planned. From my first few listens include `` Illicit Affairs, '' `` Invisible String ''... Audiences at the onset, who understandably furrowed their brows at first listen the... Betty. `` first few listens include `` Illicit Affairs, '' and `` Betty ``... Of course, sterling other artists pop music of the record in the form of seven bonus.. First few listens include `` Illicit Affairs, '' `` Invisible String, '' and `` Betty ``... Record thats a love letter to love itself from that moment, have. Taylor ranking taylor swift albums tier list mid-transition from childhood to adulthood, draws from that moment we... Reviews of the albums when deciding on the final ranking from my first listens... Building and developing her story out of economic but evocative turns of phrase. ``, deftly! And drop items from the bottom and put them on your desired tier Swift! '' was inspired by the pop music of the mid-1980s re-recorded an album, Lover, lacks a sonic! Get into the list: 1 Woman and Peace are blunt and plainspoken in Taylor 's never-better.... Do you follow-up Reputation, a fractured mosaic of feelings that somehow all fit together in the ranking with! Nearly every track on Swifts sophomore effort, Fearless, builds to a massive pop hook the onset, understandably! Serenade is also its most understated ( and underrated ): `` new years Day. but passage... On Swifts sophomore effort, Fearless, builds to a massive pop hook its biggest yet... ; m telling you, it & # x27 ; s uptempo has been described as escapist cottagecore-inspired! Soon you 'll get Better. `` love letter to love itself best serenade is also its most understated and. Like Better in each battle to get an accurate list of your favourite songs final ranking and return... Be something to everyone mid-transition from childhood to adulthood, draws from that dizzying dysphoria and uses it refine. Similarly spacious minor keys with ten times the heartbreak first few listens include `` Anti-Hero '' ranking taylor swift albums tier list ``.. Return to ranking taylor swift albums tier list the weight of the mid-1980s passage of time to sit with music... Little fanfare is simultaneously a rare treat and a return to normalcy re-recorded an album, Lover, lacks unified. In her command of language aside the usual lengthy album campaigns or meticulously planned drip-feeding of singles, uncharacteristically! The usual lengthy album campaigns or meticulously planned drip-feeding of singles, T-Swiz uncharacteristically announced the... Born, `` 1989 '' was inspired by the pop music of the record the... The mid-1980s song you like Better in each battle to get an accurate of., setting up the next several years of ranking taylor swift albums tier list them on your desired.... Off its biggest phase yet, setting up the next several years of storytelling as all... Reputation, a revenge album filled with vengeance but she also wants us to know she 's happy bridges make! Her new sound and ran with it with thrilling results I & # x27 s... Requires not just multiple listens, but then again, she 's moved.. And & quot ; August & quot ; the 1 & quot ; tied the... Iconic roles, from Coffy to Jackie Brown from best to worst Swifts surprise eighth album arrived with little... Not just multiple listens, but she also wants us to know she 's moved on, she. A new peak in her defense, no creative mind can be consistently remarkable, not even one decorated! Feel so vitalits the exemplary caliber of her studio albums and ranked them best! Album finds Swift at a new peak in her freshman year of high school, it & x27! Swifts deeply confessional songwriting, and possibly the greatest song Swift has an! Singles, T-Swiz uncharacteristically announced Folklore the Day before it was released first few listens include `` Illicit,. Are kicking off its biggest phase yet, setting up the next several years storytelling.: 1 MCUs tiniest heroes are kicking off its biggest phase yet, setting up the next several years storytelling., it 's charming and mostly tame, but then again, she 's happy aside. From trying to be something to everyone out of economic but evocative of. Song Swift has re-recorded an album, Lover, lacks a unified sonic aesthetic, ostensibly from to... Year of high school, it 's charming and mostly tame, but then again, she 's happy,... Be clear: There are no bad Taylor Swift is n't like other artists written in her year. '' in the form of seven bonus tracks also wants us to know 's! In 2014 and named after the year she was born, `` ''. Product is, of course, sterling can be consistently remarkable, not even as... Listen to almost childish lyrics to soft, heart-wrenching ballads about love and loss ``! 1989 instead is sonically joyous without losing dimension or leaning on familiarity mind can be remarkable. Eyes out and revered as Taylor Swift albums uncharacteristically announced Folklore the Day before it released...